PDF File Warped with Lines in Preview Panel, Can't Open

[Kimberly5DD6]

I just saved a PDF file and everything was fine, but when I went back to reopen it in Photoshop I got the message "Couldn't open because the file is not compatible with this version of Photoshop." I'm running the latest version and no other PDF files are giving me this issue.

Now the preview shows warping and lines on the document. I need to edit this thing but its unuseable. What on earth happened?

I'm working on a Mac on a shared server that causes many issues, but this one's a first. 

[AnandSri]

Hello Kimberly!

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out.

The likely cause of the issue could be File corruption during save or sync over the shared server, the preview cache glitch on macOS, or Incomplete or failed writing if the network is interrupted while saving. 

If the PDF was created from another app (e.g., Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop):

• Open the original design file and export a fresh PDF.

• Save it locally first (not directly to the shared server), then move it to the server.

Test the File on Another Device

• Copy the PDF to another Mac or Windows device.

• Check if the issue persists.

• If it opens fine elsewhere, the issue is local cache or permissions.

Clear macOS Preview Cache

The lines may be a glitch in the QuickLook preview:

• Restart Finder with Command + Option + Esc, then relaunch Finder.

• Or restart your Mac.

Open in Acrobat or Reader: Try opening the file in Adobe Acrobat or Acrobat Reader rather than Preview or Photoshop

Also, ensure you have the latest version of Acrobat installed, 25.001.20476 (Mac), Apr 28, 2025. Check for any pending updates from the Menu > help > check for updates, install the updates, restart the app and the machine, and try again. For more information, see this: https://adobe.ly/3Yt9KqK

Let us know how it goes.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.